Instrumental and Locative in Ardha-Magadhi

Summary

Focusing on the grammar of the Jaina Prakrit Ardha‑Māgadhī, this article analyses how the instrumental and locative cases are used. It surveys canonical Jaina texts and grammars, showing that the functional range of these cases differs from Classical Sanskrit. The instrumental case often replaces the dative and ablative, especially in expressing agency and accompaniment. Examples illustrate constructions where verbs of giving or speaking take an instrumental object and where instrumental endings convey spatial relations. The locative case in Ardha‑Māgadhī exhibits semantic extensions: it marks not only location but also time, cause and respect. The author compares these usages with Pāli and other Middle Indo‑Aryan dialects, identifying common innovations and unique features. Morphological peculiarities, such as the retention of the final –e and contraction of diphthongs, are discussed. By assembling data from the Sutta‑Nipāta, Āyāraṅga‑sutta and other works, the essay shows that the evolution of case functions in Prakrit reflects both simplification of the inflectional system and the influence of vernacular speech. This study thus contributes to our understanding of the historical development of Indo‑Aryan syntax.